It’s a while since I had a relapse, but this current one seems to be taking a while to go - 3 weeks ago my legs became extremely weak, and every so often just stop working, so when I’m walking anywhere, I have to stop because I can’t move my legs. I also feel like I have splinters in the pad of my right index finger and I’m soooo tired it’s just not funny. I know that if I contact my MS nurse she’ll only offer me steroids which I don’t want. I have an appt with a GP tomorrow. Is this a normal length of time for a relapse? Or is it too long now and just something I’m going to have to get used to?
Sorry to break it to you, but three weeks is at the shorter end of the spectrum. I think the average is 5 or 6 weeks. I don’t get very many, but they have ALL lasted months. The bad one that led to my diagnosis lasted a year.
Or at least, that’s how it seemed. Maybe you could argue it must have been loads of little relapses, without really getting better in between. I can’t prove it wasn’t. I don’t know how to tell the difference.
But anyway, it was a year before my health returned as much as I feel it’s ever going to.
I know a year’s a bit extreme, and hopefully yours won’t be that long. But I know I’m not the only one here it’s happened to.
I wouldn’t go for steroids after just three weeks, either. But then again, I’ve already made up my mind I’m not going for steroids full stop, unless I literally can’t see or can’t walk. I’ll never say never, but it would have to be very bad before I’d consider them.
3 weeks seems like a long time, but its not really that long for a relapse, my relapses last for 3-4 months,they peak at about 2 to 3 weeks then i start to get the odd good day, until i start to feel a little better, my last 2 have had me laid up in bed for 10 weeks and i thought i would never start to feel better, but i did.
Anitra Mine are like yours… My first attack was about aug 2011…whilst pregnant… and its still going… think ive had 4 relapses in that time without getting better from the previous one… or… 1 lonnnnng attack! So 3 weeks to me personally would be a blessing lol
Thanks guys - this is the first time that I’ve actually registered when a relapse started (I’m not good at knowing what the day is at the best of times!), so I’ve been able to monitor how long it’s been going on. But I haven’t had a relapse for a while, so I can’t remember how long they usually last.
My relapses have been very variable, lasting anything between 2 weeks and 3 months. I have usually not had steroids, however on 2 or 3 occasions I have found steroids to be very helpful.
Could you contact your ms nurse, if you have one. He/she may be able to help and advise you.
Thanks Carol - I have an MS nurse, when I’ve spoken to her before, she only offers steroids, as I decided a while ago that I don’t want to take them again, I don’t see the point of contacting her for this (I don’t find the steroids helpful). I’m going to see a GP tomorrow, so I’ll see what they say. I realise that things can always be worse, but I hate having this stupid bloody disease!